Colorado, 1997

High Wind in Colorado, March 27, 1997

March 27, 1997 · NWS BOU · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A strong low pressure system moving through North Dakota triggered high winds across portions of northeast Colorado. The strongest winds occurred during the late afternoon and evening behind a fast moving cold front.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BOU wrote it up.

A strong low pressure system moving through North Dakota triggered high winds across portions of northeast Colorado. The strongest winds occurred during the late afternoon and evening behind a fast moving cold front. Peak wind gusts from 60 to 80 mph caused extensive damage. In New Raymer, strong wind gusts blew a metal roof off a barn. In Greeley, several telephone poles and power lines were downed. Scattered outages were reported from Ault to La Salle with a least 20 trees downed around the city including a 100-ft blue spruce. Elsewhere, three semi-trucks were blown over by strong cross winds along I-25 near Wellington, and I-76 between Sterling and Julesburg. No injuries were reported. Peak wind gusts included: 80 mph (70 kts) 21 miles north of New Raymer, 75 mph (65 kts) 6 miles south of New Raymer and 1 mile east of Buckhorn Mountain, 71 mph (61 kts) 4 miles east of Haxtun, 70 mph (60 kts) 9 miles west-southwest of Rustic and 2 miles east of Greeley, 64 mph (56 kts) 15 miles west-northwest of Sterling and 60 mph (52 kts) at Hereford.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Ne Weld County

When
March 27, 3:00 PM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where
Ne Weld County forecast zone
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates
40.555, -104.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Larimer County Below 6000 Feet / Nw Weld County

When
March 27, 3:00 PM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where
Larimer County Below 6000 Feet / Nw Weld County forecast zone
Coordinates
40.611, -104.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet

When
March 27, 3:00 PM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where
Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet forecast zone
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates
40.380, -105.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, C & S Weld County

When
March 27, 3:00 PM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where
C & S Weld County forecast zone
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates
40.555, -104.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Logan County

When
March 27, 3:00 PM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where
Logan County forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates
40.725, -103.110 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sedgwick County

When
March 27, 3:00 PM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where
Sedgwick County forecast zone
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
40.876, -102.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, March 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5594364, 5594365, 5594366, 5594367, 5594368, 5594524.